Method of treating gunpowder.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

FREDERICK \VILLIAM JONES,'OF BARXVICK, WARE ENGLAND.

METHOD OF TREATING G 'INPQW DER.

srncrrrcarron formingm of Letters Patent No. 693,548, dated. February 18,1902. I

Original application tiled December 6, 1898, Serial No. 698;413. Divided and this application filed April 19.1900. Serial No. 13,537- (No specimens.)

ing Gunpowder, of which the following is aspecification, and for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 15,553, bearing date July 15, 1898. I

The present application is a division of my application, Serial N 0. 698,413, filed Decem her 6, 1898.

had time to move any material distance along the barrel of the gun, and efiorts have been made to control the time occupied in the combustions of such powder by varying the size or shape of the grains or forming perforations through the grains. These objects have been sought because the practically simultaneous ignition of the whole of the grains of the charge is very disadvantageous in view of thefapt that this takes place early in the travel of the projectile and often in a chamber of comparatively small capacity, in which such simultaneous ignition produces a too high initial pressure, and thus the weight of the charge, and thereby the velocity given to the projectile, are unduly limited by reason of the mechanical-difiic ulties of gun construction. These efiorts have been directed to the slowing of the combustion of the grains after ignition. My present invention therefore differs therefrom in dealing with the ignition of the grain before combustion, and I have found that a more beneficial efiect can be prpduced by delaying the passage of ignition from grain to grain, or, in other words, the communication of ignition by the primer is regulated progressively, the Whole of the grains not being ignited unt-il, so to speak, some time after the initial ignition.

In carrying out myinvention the manufactured grains of gelatinized gunpowder are provided with-an applied coating and an outer glaze, such coating adhering to the grains and practically continuous, forming an inclosing shell.- This applied coating consists of a dry finely divided wax-which will not melt at aservice temperature'-that is, it will not melt or become adhesive at any temperature below 150 Fahrenheit and is not and does not become explosive. This thin adhering surface coating is mechanically applied by-a' prolonged agitation of the commingled masses of powder-grains and the finely;di vided wax placed in a suitable agitating 3 receptacle, where the attrition of the particles throughprolonged agitation deposits, as it were, a,

thin continuous coating or glaze of the finelydivided wax upon the surface of the-powder-grains, completely inclosing the same.

This applied coatingof wax may vary in thickness according to the requirements ofv the particular kind of powderor the cali ber of the gun in which the same is 'tobe used. This, however, is a question solely of degree and does not affect the present invention. Of' course if the coating is too thin the delay of ignition from grain to grainwould not be sufficienialy'slow. If the coatceptacle and subjected to agitation, and I' prefer after the grains of powder are thus treated to 1polish or glaze the same withpowdered' graphite in order to render the gunpowdersmooth and easy to handleand load into the gun.

I preferiin practice to add the coatin'g'material in excess of what is required, so that after the process of agitation theunattached' coating material maybe sifted out.

I will now give a practical example of the method. of'carrying out my invention where-.1

cootingmaterial.

film. These grains are preferably thereafter in; the coatlng material is" .nor blocks or other pieces or charges of explosive material as distinguished from p more or less minute grains.

the same, and powder-grains have been coatcomposed, for in! stance, of carnaubwwax and is to be appiie to a small-bore-rifle powder consisting thiirlhm ina of gelatiniz'ed:iimcotion, sol

One hundred of thi powder and-one and one-third parts of finely divided wax aye agitated for a period (it-eight hours and then sifted to separate the free About threefourths of the wax will be found to adhere to the powdergrains in the form of an evenlydistrihnted 'melted or dissolved. c'oudit polished with graphite by agitation.

The term grain is herein used in its ordinary sense as applied to gunpowder and does not include the particles of which such grains-are composed, nor the relatively granular particlesof non-granulated explosives,

the

Blocks or other pieces or charges of explosive material have heretofore been coated With carnauha-wax or mixtures containing coating ed with various substances, the olrject in both cases being to waterproof the explosive and protect it against climatic influence and the like. Powder grains have also been glazed for the same purpose by tumbling them with powdered graphite. I have dis covered that a wholly superficial waxy coating, suitably applied to the grains of granulated gelatinized gunpowder and protected by an outer glaze of graphite, serves not only to waterproof and protect the explosive, but also to delay ignition from grain to grain, as above set forth, and thus affords convenient means for effectively regulating such ignition Without impairing the explosive valneof each grain or the adaptation of the powder to [low freely in loadiugit into cartridgesand thelilre. In applying a waxy coating for this purpose it is essential that the coating; material snail not, as heretofore, be applied in a melted or dissolved condition and that the same shall at the same time be thoroughly applied, so as to completely envelop each grain with the required thickness of ignition-retarding shell. This is accomplished by the method hereinbefore specified, by which a coating" or shell of any required thickness is made to consist ofabrasions of the waxy material in cohesion, while the shell as a whole adheres to the powder-grain Without penetrating its surface to the least extent. This would not he the case if the coating material were applied in a claimed in a corn-- using part of appli'- on for l sited tee l ateut, Serial No. filed herewith the 19th day of April, 1900,. and is herehydisclaimed as forming no part of the method invention to which my claims herein are confined.

i is of said method or pieces on specification i Having thus described said method, I claim a'" my invention and desire to patent under specification 1, The method of treatinggranulated gelaiinized gunpowder for the purposeol delay ing the passage of ignition from grain tograin, consisting in mixing together a quantity of the powder-grains and a quantity of a Waxy material in a dry and finely-divided condition, and subjecting the commingled materials to agitation together, and forming by their attrition and the cohesiou'ofablasions a continuous coating or shell of the required thickness of the waxy material upon and around each powder-grain, substantially as hereinhefore specified. I

The method of treatinggranulated gelatinized gunpowder forthe purpose of delaythe passage of ignition trom grain tog'rain, consisting in mixingtogether a quantilyot" the powder-grains and a quantity of dry finelydivided caruanhawax and subjecting the con'imingled materials to agitation together, and forming by ihci rattrition and the cohesion of abrasions a continuous coating or shell of the required thickness of the waxy material upon and around each powder-grain, substan tially as hereinheiore specified.

ii The mcihod of treating granulated gelaiiuized gunpowder for the purpose of delaying" the passageol ignition from grain to grain consisting in mixing together a quantity of the powder-grains and a quantity of a waxy coating; material in a dry and finelydivided condition, and subjecting the commingled materials to agitation together, and forming by their attrition and the cohesion of abrasions a continuous coating or shellof the required. thickness of the waxy material upon and around each powder-grain, and then tumbling the coated powder with powdered graphite and thereby providing each grain with an outer glaze of graphite, substantially as hcroinhefore specified.

l l'i-Elll'llllCK \VI'LLLUI JONES.

YJiinesses:

Giu'i iri'rii BREWER, 'inmus ii Inmate Roi-inns.

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